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Showing posts from July, 2024

Pete Buttigieg’s donors are rallying for him to be Kamala Harris’ running mate

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A close-knit group of donors to out Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign is rallying to get him on the Democratic presidential ticket with Vice President Kamala Harris. The group of wealthy Democrats, many of them LGBTQ+, have been working behind the scenes since hours after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race to convince people close to Harris that Buttigieg would make a great VP, according to reporting in The New York Times . Related Pete Buttigieg used 1 word to tell 190,000 “white dudes” why to support Kamala Harris The gay transportation secretary said it’s important to focus not on only on what Democrats stand against, but what they stand for. And Buttigieg is open to the possibility. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today A day after Biden’s exit, Buttigieg convened a Zoom meeting o...

Transphobes lose it because two sex-variant women are boxing at the Olympics

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Anti-trans activists are outraged that the International ­Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed boxers who failed gender and testosterone tests in the boxing world championships last year to compete at the Paris Olympics, even though the boxers are not transgender. Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu‑ting of Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) were not permitted to compete in the 2023 women’s world championships for boxing because they failed the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) gender testing. Related Lesbian DJ gets rape & death threats over controversial Olympic drag queen segment The DJ isn’t backing down IBA president Umar Kremlev said that DNA tests had “proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded.” He also said that countries were recruiting cis men to compete in women’s sports. There is no evidence of that. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter ...

Biden administration’s LGBTQ+ education protections upheld by Trump judge in major victory

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A federal judge in Alabama refused to block the Biden administration’s new protections against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in schools, a break with five other judges who have blocked the protections from going into effect. U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon in Birmingham, who former President Donald Trump appointed, rejected the arguments made by four states led by Alabama that challenged the new rules from the U.S. Department of Education. Related School’s pro-trans policy just won a big court victory A federal appeals court rejected a conservative parents’ group’s argument that there is a constitutional right to misgender trans people in school. The new rules say that federal laws that ban discrimination on the basis of sex also apply to gender identity. Under the rules, harassing LGBTQ+ students, such as deadnaming or misgendering trans students, is a form of sex-based discrimination, which is banned under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. It also changes the proc...

A gay waiter got a slur instead of a tip. What happened next, he said, was “absolutely insane.”

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A waiter in Kansas has turned an ugly customer interaction into a cause for celebration. Noah Bierig, 19, a server at Bubba’s 33 in Wichita, says things felt off when he was serving a group of young men at the restaurant on a Sunday two weeks ago. Related Petty customer stiffs gay waiter & leaves hateful note instead of tip The internet covered the tip – and then some. “The first time I went up to the table, they were just shooting me a couple dirty looks,” Bierig told KAKE News . “And every time I would walk away, they would kind of just start laughing a little bit.” Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today He caught one customer in particular staring at his painted nails and Pride bracelet, a gift his mom gave him when he came out in eighth grade. Bierig said he’s gotten nothing but support since, which is one reason this inter...

Trans woman sues ultra-conservative Liberty University for firing her after she came out

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A transgender woman is suing ultra-conservative Liberty University for sex discrimination after she was fired from her job as an information technology (IT) specialist. Ellenor Zinski began working at the Christian college—located in Lynchburg, Virginia —in 2023. She earned high marks at her 90-day performance review, and her supervisor told her she was on a “path to success,” according to a lawsuit filed on Zinski’s behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia. Related UMass trolls conservative Liberty University by scheduling “Pride Day” for their game “This is the BEST possible way to welcome Liberty to town.” The following week, Zinski informed the school’s Human Resources department that she was in the process of transitioning, had begun taking hormone replacement therapy, and asked that her name be changed on her employment record. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by su...

Tom Daley & Dustin Lance Black accused of “baby trafficking” by unhinged transphobe

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Transphobic activist Posie Parker has accused gay Olympic diver Tom Daley and gay screenwriter Dustin Lance Black of “baby trafficking” because the married same-sex couple worked with a surrogate to have two children and build their family. Parker’s comments echoed other right-wing disapproval of surrogacy. Although about 4,000 surrogate births occur in the U.S. each year , the birth method remains controversial. Nonetheless, it is used by many couples worldwide who otherwise face difficulties having children. Daley and Black have explained and defended their surrogacy in the past. Related This queer woman dreamed of being a surrogate since childhood & it was as magical as she expected “It fulfilled my heart so much that I’m going to do it again.” Black was interviewed at the Paris Olympic Summer Games by the BBC after his husband won a silver medal in the men’s 10-meter synchronized diving event. Black told the BBC that it was “so special” that their children witnessed Dal...

Lesbian DJ gets rape & death threats over controversial Olympic drag queen segment

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Barbara Butch — who performed in a controversial Olympic Opening Ceremony segment accused of mocking Christianity — has received death, torture, and rape threats as well as numerous anti-semitic, homophobic, sexist, and fatphobic insults for her involvement. Butch has pledged to fearlessly fight the threats. Her lawyer has filed legal complaints that could start a formal police investigation into those behind them. During her part of the ceremonies, Butch wore a silver headdress that looked like a halo, and was surrounded by drag performers, dancers, and other performers as she DJed. The performers then walked on the runway, showcasing French fashions and style. Tthe scene was  angrily mistaken by many conservative Christians as a mockery of  The Last Supper , a famous artwork painted by gay artist Leonardo DaVinci that has been replicated countless times in modern pop culture. Related Mike Johnson rages at Olympic performance as a “mockery” of Christians. He missed the ...

How writing a novel helped me understand my gender identity

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Some time in 2018, I stumbled across the idea that gender isn’t binary. Suddenly, more than four decades of intense discomfort and confusion over my inability to do “girl” right made complete sense. I knew that if I were a teenager or even in my twenties, I’d be out as nonbinary in a nanosecond. But it seemed odd as an older adult. My years of trying and failing at dating were in the books and I’d happily settled into a life I was actually enjoying for the first time. Work was good, I loved my house with the many custom bookshelves I’d built, and I was finding my feet as a novelist. It just didn’t seem worth it to rock the boat. I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself and make a fuss. Related Autistic people aren’t being fooled into being nonbinary. We see past the binary that fools you. We examine social norms that others accept without question, so we’re more likely to reject the idea that everyone has to be a man or a woman. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to ou...

Project 2025’s co-author is anti-drag, unless his friend is doing it

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Mike Howell, director of the Heritage Foundation’s opposition research group and a co-author of the controversial Project 2025 blueprint for a second Trump administration, has been identified in a photo posing with a friend in drag. The party pic uncovered by The Advocate shows Howell — an unrepentant opponent of LGBTQ+ rights and people, whom he’s called “degenerate perverts” — mugging for the camera with a man dressed as a woman in lipstick, pearls, a blue-tinted wig, and an embroidered pink jacket. Related Trump tries to distance himself from Project 2025—the far right’s playbook for a second term Biden recently condemned the plan, which has deep connections to several former Trump officials Howell sucks on a pipe and leers at the camera. LGBTQ+ news you can rely on Keep track of the ongoing battle against bias and for equality with our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The surprising picture was uncovered on a Yelp account that Howell started years ago...

Frat boys allegedly beat gay man late at night in Texas while shouting slur

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A gay man in Austin, Texas, was walking to his Uber late at night when a group of men suddenly assaulted him, shouting an anti-gay slur at him. The alleged victim, Joshua Ybarra, was wearing a purse and black-heeled boots. “I feel like they should all be charged accordingly. I mean, it was just one person who started the whole thing, but they all followed suit, especially when I was getting beat; the slurs were coming,” Ybarra said to KXAN . Related Over 40 attacks on LGBTQ+ symbols occurred in 21 states during Pride month “We’re resilient,” one Pride group member said of the attacks. “No matter what the cost is, we’re not going to back down.” The phrase “gay f*g” was shouted at Ybarra as he was beaten and punched until he blacked out on the ground. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today One of Ybarra’s friends attempted to shield ...

Lauren Boebert tried to win a battle of wits with Pete Buttigieg. She lost.

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Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) tried to prove out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrong when it came to Donald Trump’s refusal to debate Vice President Kamala Harris, but she was instead mocked for missing the mark. President Joe Biden had agreed to two debates with Trump, the second of which would have happened on September 10 and been moderated by ABC News. After Biden dropped out of the election last week — making Harris all but certain to be the Democratic nominee — Trump backed out of the debate. Related Lauren Boebert could stay in Congress for years to come after winning GOP primary Her gamble in switching districts may have paid off. “I have agreed to the previously agreed upon September 10th debate, he agreed to that previously,” Harris told reporters last Thursday. “Now it appears he’s backpedaling. But I’m ready. And I think that the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on a debate stage and so, I’m ready. Let’s go.” Your LGBTQ+ guide...

Idaho sued for a law that pushed libraries to go “adults only”

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Parents, students, and private schools and libraries are suing the state of Idaho for a law that they say infringes on their First Amendment free speech rights and Fourteenth Amendment due process rights. H.B. 710, which took effect in early July , allows citizens and government officials to file lawsuits against schools and libraries that do not move books with “adult content” into “adult only” sections within 60 days of receiving a complaint. Related Idaho passes law requiring teachers to misgender trans students The state’s governor has signed numerous anti-trans laws. H.B. 710 is doesn’t offer any concrete guidelines, saying that “obscene content” will be “Judged by the average person, applying contemporary community standards.” Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The law has forced some libraries to go “adult only.” A libr...

Nebraska Supreme Court upholds gender affirming care ban & abortion restrictions

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In a sweeping decision, Nebraska’s Supreme Court ruled 6-1 in favor of allowing a ban on gender affirming care and abortions past 12 weeks of pregnancy. This decision, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland v. Hilgers , concerned Legislative Bill 574 , an act that restricted abortions past 12 weeks of pregnancy as well as gender affirming care for minors. The Nebraska legislature passed the bill in 2023 and it was signed by the governor in May after. In response, the ACLU of Nebraska, representing Planned Parenthood of Heartland, sued Attorney General Michael Hilgers (R). Related Conservative co-sponsors abandon their own bill after gay politician’s powerful speech Nebraska’s anti-trans bill failed after the two state senators refused to vote for it. The ACLU argued that the case violated the Nebraska Constitution’s single-subject rule, which stated that bills should not contain more than one subject as their focus. The court argued, however, that this was a rare provision and th...

Transgender business program honored for helping people build economic power

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The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recognized a local trans nonprofit this week for its program supporting trans and nonbinary entrepreneurs. During its regular meeting at San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday, the board bestowed its Certificate of Honor to Transgender District in recognition of the group’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program , according to local LGBTQ+ outlet The Bay Area Reporter . Related San Francisco votes unanimously to become a sanctuary city for trans & nonbinary people It’s now the largest city in the U.S. to protect gender-affirming care for minors. Citing a 2021 Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research study, which found that only four percent of small businesses in the U.S. are owned by queer entrepreneurs, out Supervisor Rafael Mandelman applauded Transgender District for addressing the disparity “by providing valuable support to trans entrepreneurs, who face significant barriers when following their small business dreams.” N...

Texas city cuts “vital” funding for “beloved” art walk over “sexual” LGBTQ+ exhibits

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City Council members in Lubbock, Texas, have cut funding for its monthly Art Trail event because it features LGBTQ+ activities. City council members cut $30,000 in total, which makes up about a quarter of the funding for the First Friday Art Trail. Related GOP candidate calls gay people “pedophiles” while raging at Democrat’s rainbow flag She accused the Democrat of supporting “gay terrorists.” City Councilmember David Glasheen said that he “led an effort to decline the grant” because of a drag show that took place, saying he believes “it is wrong to target children and families with sexual content.” Be informed, be inspired Sign up for our newsletter for your dose of LGBTQ+ news, covering all facets of our community. Subscribe to our Newsletter today He added, “the intention is to offer full drag performances on the Art Trail in the next year.” The Art Trail event is considered an integral part of Texas’ art scene, according to The Dallas Express . The event is...